MDOT and Mackinac Bridge Authority issue commemorative centennial coin June 30
MDOT and Mackinac Bridge Authority issue commemorative centennial coin June 30
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) today announced that a special ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 30, to commemorate MDOT’s 100th anniversary. The 2 p.m. event will take place at Bridge View Park in St. Ignace, where MDOT and MBA officials will be on hand along with other dignitaries.
“From the days of the car ferries to the Mackinac Bridge, St. Ignace has been very important to transportation,” stated MBA Administrator Bob Sweeney. “The new coin will be a favorite among collectors and commuters alike.”
Michigan has played a major role in delivering a transportation system worthy of celebration — from the construction of the first mile of concrete highway, to the building of the then-longest suspension bridge in the world.
“Transportation is a vital link to effectively driving our economy,” said State Transportation Director Gloria J. Jeff. “Throughout 2005, MDOT will be commemorating 100 years of providing quality transportation services to the people of Michigan.”
MDOT’s centennial Web site has a collection of facts, figures, photos, and video, that trace the evolution of transportation services provided by the state of Michigan.
“We encourage Michigan residents (and others) to explore the Web site — www.michigan.gov/mdot100 — for additional interesting facts regarding how transportation positively affects our quality of life,” said Jeff.
The new coin is the fifth in a series of bridge toll coins, or tokens, which customers can use to cross the bridge.